Putin Avoids Sochi for Record 322 Days Amid Drone Threat

Russian President Vladimir Putin has maintained a 322-day absence from public visits to Sochi since October 2025, according to the independent news agency Agentstvo. This hiatus marks a significant departure from his previous pattern of visiting the southern resort city twice a year. The last time Putin was in Sochi was on October 2, 2025, to attend a meeting of the Valdai Discussion Club.

Prior to 2023, he typically traveled to Sochi on a regular basis, with visits spaced approximately six months apart. However, his attendance in the spring of 2026 was notably absent. The cessation of Putin's Sochi visits coincides with an increase in drone threats from Ukraine, which have reached closer to Russian regions, including Novgorod Oblast, where another presidential residence is located.

This shift in travel patterns is also influenced by the reduced number of Russians visiting Sochi due to heightened security concerns and the threat of drone attacks. Hotel bookings and airline ticket sales in the region have seen a decline, indicating the broader impact of these security issues on both political visits and tourism.